Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed a bye in Week 5 after a perfect 4-0 start to begin the 2026 NFL season, taking down Kirk Cousins and the Las Vegas Raiders 30-27 in Week 4. Now, the Chiefs will look to make it five straight in Week 6, hosting Justin Herbert and the winless Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes is off to a solid start to begin his 10th season in the NFL. Through four games, the former Texas Tech quarterback has completed 82-of-128 passes for 1,037 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. However, Mahomes lost one of his top wide receivers when Tyquan Thornton suffered a dislocated ankle, ruling him out for around 3-4 months. And Rashee Rice was forced to miss practice on Wednesday with a hamstring injury
But while Mahomes could be without two of his top wideouts in Week 6, he could be getting back one of his top offensive lineman.
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Josh Simmons, after a college career with San Diego State and Ohio State, was selected by Kansas City with the final pick of the first round in the 2025 NFL Draft. And the offensive lineman would earn the Chiefs’ starting left tackle position immediately to begin his rookie year. But injuries would limit Simmons to just eight games, including a season-ending wrist injury.
But Simmons’ injury woes didn’t end there, suffering a bulging disc in his lower back in August’s training camp. The injury has kept the left tackle out for the first four games of the 2026 season, with undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson replacing him.
But on Wednesday, coming off the bye week, coach Reid announced that Simmons would practice for the first time since Aug. 17, listing the left tackle as limited and potentially giving Mahomes his starting blindside protector back for the matchup against the Chargers.
“Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said WR Rashee Rice (hamstring) is the only player who will not practice Wednesday,” The Kansas City Star’s Pete Sweeney wrote on X. “That mean’s LT Josh Simmons (back) will indeed work in some capacity. ‘We’re just going to ease him back in,’ Reid said of Simmons.”
Mahomes, Reid and the Chiefs will take on the Chargers on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.
